Six years later, now, Assistant Park Naturalist Charlie Parker will turn in his keys at the Steele Creek Park Nature Center at the end of his Sunday shift and move on to other challenges. He joined the staff as a "Junior Naturalist" in mid-July 2005 when Kevin Elam was the park naturalist (nature center manager, according to the city). As a 13-year-old birder, he began his duties at the park as a volunteer, following an application and interview process with staff. "I was very excited about becoming a Junior Naturalist," Parker said back then with a smile. "I really looked forward to working here. I hope to one day join the paid staff like Chris O'Bryan has done. I have mostly enjoyed being able to work behind the scene, inside the nature center operation." Tic ! Tic ! He did all of the above. A very proud and successful run thru the years. He worked with tremendous loyalty and dedication and leaves a proud legacy. He was promoted to a paid position as a "Part-Time Naturalist" at the nature center in May 2008 at 16 years of age. During his three years as a Junior Naturalist, he volunteered more than 1,000 hours assisting the facility with everything from maintaining exhibits, animal populations and summer camps to field trips. In addition, he assisted high school and college students with turtle trapping and research. He never had a shortage of duties and activities. He has begun a small venture of making and selling fishing lures and enjoying that very much. He is an avid outdoorsman and an accomplished naturalist. Charlie attends Northeast State Community College. He is the son of BBC members Bob and Ellen Parker of Piney Flats, TN. BBC member Charlie "Chuck" Parker hired as Steele Creek Park naturalist It is with great pride that members of the Bristol Bird Club learned recently that our youngest member has been promoted to a paid position as a "Part-Time Park Naturalist" at the Steele Creek Park Nature Center in Bristol Tennessee. The sixteen-year-old joined the Nature Center staff Aug 1, 2005 as a "Junior Naturalist." Since that date he has volunteered more than 1,000 hours assisting the facility with everything from maintaining exhibits, animal populations, summer naturalist camps and field trips. In addition he has assisted high school and college students with turtle trapping and research. He has not found a shortage of duties and activates. For months he has been conducting his own research project: A Survey of the Aquatic Insect Population of Steele Creek Park. He was originally chosen for the Junior Naturalist position by then park naturalist and nature center manager Kevin Elam who is now a graduate school student at Virginia Tech. Parker has been birding for several years and is well known to many area birders for his keen identification skills and active field efforts. He is the son of Bob and Ellen Parker of Piney Flats, TN.